Local Economic Development in Good Hands
Posted on by jen.newman@rdatasmania.org.au
Report shows that over 75% of Tasmania’s economic development workforce are formally qualified and all have high levels of competence
Regional Development Australia (RDA) Tasmania received funding from Skills Tasmania, a unit of the Tasmanian Government Department of State Growth, to commission a report on the capability of the regional economic development planning workforce in the state. The report focused on the activities, experience and knowledge of regional planning and workforce development amongst economic development officers.
Stennings & Associates were commissioned to undertake the work with support from RDA Tasmania and the Regional Australia Institute in compiling examples of regional economic development planning and strategies, engaging with regional economic development practitioners, and analysing their feedback.
The Mapping Regional Capability for Economic Development report was released in September 2017 and provided a contemporary summary of the local workforce involved in regional economic planning and development. The detailed data and summaries resulted in four key recommendations.
The report made four recommendations:
- That a best practice template for Regional Economic Development Planning incorporating Regional Workforce Development be developed. The template should include the best practice elements described by the Standing Committee on Training, Education, Skills and Employment (SCOTESE) and become the benchmark required for plan approval and implementation.
- That a practitioner community of practice for Economic Development Officers is established which incorporates professional development for workforce development practitioners become the benchmark required for plan approval and implementation.
- That a leader’s program is established to improve capability in workforce development and to enhance collaboration within and between regions.
- That a knowledge base on Regional Economic Development Planning and Regional Workforce Development is developed to support decision-making. This should include benchmarks of activity and identification of best practice.
RDA Tasmania will work in conjunction with Economic Development practitioners, the national Economic Development Australia (EDA) network and other stakeholders to consider these recommendations and look for practical ways to support economic development activities in Tasmania.
To read the report, click here.